Ultimate King Ranch Casserole
King ranch chicken casserole will have everyone asking for seconds. Good thing it serves a crowd!
You just haven't had a great casserole until you've tried the Ultimate King Ranch Casserole. This is one of those simple recipes that will make dinner easy, delicious and one that everyone looks forward to. Made with ingredients that are simple and budget friendly, this easy king ranch chicken casserole recipe will have you done with dinner quicker than you ever imagined and with money to spare! You can save even more time by doubling the recipe so that you can have leftovers all week. Trust us -- this recipe is so good, won't mind eating it more than once in a week!
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Cooking Time30 min
Cooking Vessel Size9x13-inch casserole dish
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 large green bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic, very finely minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder, or more to taste
- 1 (10-3/4-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
- 1 (14-1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 12 corn tortillas, 6-inch size, cut into 1/2-inch strips
- 4 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken
- 2 cups shredded cheese, such as Mexican mixed or a combination of Cheddar and Monterey jack
Hungry for more? Check out our delicious collection of king ranch chicken casseroles.Our 4 Top King Ranch Casseroles + 2 More King Ranch Recipes
King Ranch Casserole Recipe
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
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In a large skillet set over medium heat, saute bell pepper, onion, and garlic in the oil, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes until vegetables are soft. Add chili powder and stir 1 more minute, then add soup and tomatoes and cook, stirring until mixture is bubbling hot.
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Place half of the tortilla strips into the bottom of the casserole dish and top with half of the chicken, half of the skillet contents, then half of the cheese. Repeat layers with remaining tortilla strips, chicken, sauce, and cheese.
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Bake for about 30 minutes, until casserole is bubbly and cheese is melted.
Did You Know?
The history behind king ranch casserole is actually a little bit mysterious. The name comes from the famous King Ranch in Texas, which is one of the largest ranches in the country. However, no one at the ranch had anything to do with the creation of the recipe. Its origins are unknown!
What we do know is that the dish dates back to approximately the 1950s, and that since then it's been a popular feature at potlucks, Junior League events, and more. It's especially popular in Texas, with some joking that it should be the state's official casserole.
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Hippie Chick
Jan 04, 2019
Yummy. I love the flavor of a good Tex-Mex dish. This is a quick and easy casserole that could be a complete meal in itself or you could add a few of the standby sides that usually go with a full Tex-Mex meal or maybe just an appeteaser of some chips with guacamole and salsa.
Rnbowgrl
Oct 31, 2017
About 15 years ago I had to bring a dish for a potluck and didn't have time to go shopping so I just threw together stuff I had in my fridge and basically, the ingredients here come pretty close to it. The only difference was that I put the chicken and all of the ingredients together in a huge bowl, mixed them together and instead, cut up the tortillas and mixed them in as well, then baked it all in a dish and called it chicken enchilada casserole. Having said that...I'd definitely recommend this dish.
Lynn K
Oct 29, 2017
Because we are a family of 6 we added some extra veg to the dish and used chopped fresh chili because the only tinned tomato we had was plain, not with chili. It is a really yummy dish, the tortillas add a lovely crunchy aspect and because it is quite easy to make it is a great meal for any busy parent.
kenziewood07 43526 50
Jul 11, 2017
I have made a similar King Ranch recipe for about 20 years now, and my only change would be to add a cup of sour cream instead of the cream of chicken soup. It makes it a bit more tangy and less normal casserole-y. Also, I once forgot to buy corn tortillas so at the last minute I used cheese Dorito chips, and they added a different layer of flavor that was also quite nice.
Edmund K
May 31, 2017
This is really tasty. It's a wonderful way to use some leftover chicken and since my wife and I love Mexican (or Mexican-style) food, this is a great dish to whip up on the spur of the moment. I've tried something similar which didn't include the cream of chicken soup and liked it very much. I sure this recipe will be equally as good.
mmrb3618686
May 23, 2017
My family loves this recipe over brown rice instead of the corn tortillas. Sometimes, I use two cans of cream of mushroom soup.
Toby K Editor
Jan 10, 2017
I love this casserole! It reminds me of something my grandma always made :)
sharrell1075 45229 70
Dec 20, 2016
I made this tonight for supper. It was really good. As I was putting the sauce on it it did not seem like it was going to be enough. When I took it out of the oven it looked fine. I think next time I will use two cans of soup.
sharrell1075 45229 70
Dec 07, 2016
This sounds a lot easier than the last recipe I tried. The recipe was very time consuming and seemed like you needed two people just to make it. I like the idea of the tortillas cut in strips. The recipe I made was frying each tortilla and making several layers. It was good, but to save time I would prefer this one.
Anie
Dec 02, 2016
WOW! I have not had this in a long time. I will for sure have to try this one. I remember eating this as a kid. I like that it has bell peppers.I am sure this will be a big hit for my family. We love spicy food. Looking forward to making this.
madcakelover
Jul 15, 2015
This recipe has great color in this post. I will try and make it tonight!
Zimm102090
Jun 30, 2015
LOVED this recipe. I was a bit hesitant because I was afraid it would turn out a bit too spicy for me, but it ended up having a really great Southwest flavor. Plus, I love bell peppers and cheese (together and separately), so this whole dish was a "win" for me.
amatlin
Jun 25, 2015
This casserole was loaded with flavor. I loved the peppers in every bite!
EmilyS
Jun 25, 2015
The texture was a bit different than I would have expected but still came out really flavorful.
Emily Michelle
Jun 25, 2015
This was delicious! It had lots of flavor. I could eat it every week.
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